Stock The Bar and the Stockings

Magical, Seasonal Releases Announced by Eau Claire Distillery

Gin Rummy is Back and Christmas Gin Debuts

Celebrants set for the festive season means a stocked bar for downtime and entertaining, and a completed checklist with special gifts matched to the people who matter most. Holiday preparations are a quick, easy and impactful wrap thanks to Eau Claire Distillery. Alberta’s first craft distiller announces the launch of a new limited edition seasonal offering, Christmas Gin and the return of its 2014 sell-out success Gin Rummy.

In homage to the Magi, Christmas Gin combines the flavourful botanicals of frankincense and myrrh in a classic dry gin for golden results. Meantime, the distillery’s take on a classic, Gin Rummy is a glorious tribute to two traditional spirits, mixing the distinguished tastes of juniper gin and special rum, with winter spices. This festive season, the pioneering distillery also offers a ‘Holiday Spirits’ gift box, tastefully made of birch wood and featuring its applauded signature spirits, Three Point Vodka and Parlour Gin.

“What could be more Christmassy than a gin that pays respect to the legendary Three Wise Men?” says Eau Claire Distillery President and Founder, David Farran. “As gifts in ancient times, frankincense and myrrh were priceless. With Christmas Gin, you can witness the birth of a new Eau Claire tradition with a Canadian twist and miraculous flavor.”

The milky sap of the Boswellia tree, frankincense has a unique amphora taste. Myrrh has a long history as a tonic ingredient, and was mentioned in ancient texts of Egyptian lore and biblical accounts.

“Combine the balsamic, lemony flavor of frankincense with the bitter, aromatic spiciness of myrrh with our classic dry gin, and you have pure gold,” says Farran.

Making a welcome return for the holidays, Gin Rummy is crafted to conjure feelings of warmth and comfort. Designed for those who come together to enjoy festive social occasions, it has a unique and delicious elixir, and a flavour reminiscent of spiced Christmas cake, making it the ideal festive libation.

“Sip it with ice by the fire, warm it up for a hot drink by the curling rink, or mix it for a heart-warming round of cards with friends,” says Farran.

The Gin Rummy bottle depicts a social scene of refined gentlemen and ladies playing cards, each with an animal head: bear, Canadian goose, beaver, wolf and moose. The imagery nods to the brand’s strap lines “wherever social animals roam”. A playing card attached to the bottle features the image of a moose as the king of hearts and allows for a greeting to be written on the reverse, making Gin Rummy the perfect Christmas gift.

Similarly, the Christmas Gin label features Eau Claire Distillery’s trademark art of animal heads characters, this time depicted as the Three Wise Men looking at the Northern Star, albeit in a Canadian setting surrounded by mountains and Canadian spruce.

Gin Rummy is back on shelves of liquor stores across Alberta at $48.95 RRP for a 750ml bottle. Christmas Gin is exclusively available direct from Eau Claire Distillery, priced at $37.95 for a 375ml bottle. The ‘Holiday Spirits’ wooden gift box featuring Three Point Vodka and Parlour Gin 750ml bottles is available at select retailers priced at $129.95.

Eau Claire Distillery’s seasonal offerings are also available to purchase at the distillery’s visitor centre in historic Turner Valley, which tells the story of distilling in the area during Prohibition and features a gift shop selling Eau Claire Distillery merchandise. The space and its tasting room are also available for private events. Find out more at eauclairedistillery.ca.

About Eau Claire DistilleryDevoted to hand-crafted, artisanal and fine sipping spirits, Eau Claire Distillery is Alberta's original craft distillery located in Turner Valley on the touristic Cowboy Trail, not far from Calgary. Made using Rocky Mountain water and ingredients harvested from farms in Southern Alberta, Eau Claire Distillery’s Parlour Gin and Three Point Vodka have set the bar to be included among Canada’s most premium spirits. Housed in a 1923 converted movie theatre building, the distillery’s visitor centre and tasting room is open for public tours as well as available for private events. Find out more at eauclairedistillery.ca.